Ken Bridges/ Contributing writer Texas has produced many powerful political figures in its long history. In the 1930s, Texas had one of the most influential congressional delegations in the nation, including Sen. Morris Sheppard, the Senate Minority Whip, House Speaker John Nance Garner, and other congressmen such as future House Speaker Sam Rayburn andContinue Reading
By Ken Bridges “An ounce of prevention is worth a ton of cure,” is a popular English proverb. It has also become an important idea in medicine, to avoid major health crises by preventing them. As part of this, vaccinations have been part of health in the state for manyContinue Reading
Ken Bridges/ Contributing writer Gov. Jimmy Allred became governor of Texas in a desperate time for Texas. The Great Depression created many hardships for families and crippled state finances. Though he had met with several defeats and reverses in his life, Allred’s persistence guided Texas in a difficult time andContinue Reading
Ken Bridges/Contributing writer Many historians have called Stephen F. Austin the “father of Texas” for his efforts to bring the first settlers from the United States into Texas. But the story begins with his own father, businessman and visionary Moses Austin, who in his own way became the “grandfather of Texas.” Moses Austin was born in Connecticut inContinue Reading
Ken Bridges/Contributing writer John Adams, the nation’s second president, once wrote, “I must study war and diplomacy so that my children may study math and science and that their children may study art and philosophy.” Thus is the story of Lawrence Sullivan “Sul” Ross, a man who beat the proverbialContinue Reading
Ken Bridges/Contributing writer Editors note: The following column ran in the July 23 print edition of the Jefferson Jimplecute an incorrect byline. This column was written by Ken Bridges, not Hugh Lewis. We regret the error. “It is easier to build strong children than it is to repair brokenContinue Reading
Ken Bridges/Contributing writer Galveston, once the most important port city in Texas, suffered a crushing blow with the hurricane of 1900. Once the waters receded and the extent of the damage became clear, the city faced the overwhelming task of rebuilding. One of the most important tasks, surviving residents decided,Continue Reading
Ken Bridges/Contributing writer For the adventurers and dreamers of the world, there are no limits. Wiley Hardeman Post was born on his parents’ cotton farm near Canton in November 1898. He was born on a farm with no electricity in a time when airplanes were still just a dream, butContinue Reading
Ken Bridges/Contributing writer Henry B. Gonzalez had a long and controversial career as a Texas politician. He was the first Hispanic elected to Congress from Texas and was never afraid to speak his mind on the issues. Gonzalez was born to immigrant parents in San Antonio in 1916. His parentsContinue Reading
Ken Bridges/Contributing writer Summer in Texas brings memories of warm nights, the start of school, and the return of football. But it also means something else for Texans on the Gulf Coast: hurricane season. As the summertime seas cause the storms to build and swirl, a careful eye must turn to the weather toContinue Reading
Ken Bridges/Contributing writer The early 1900s was a formative time for education in Texas. Sidney Mezes, a one-time president of the University of Texas, rose to the forefront to serve as such a leader as well as a diplomat and a thinker. In the process, the son of a pioneerContinue Reading
Ken Bridges/Contributing writer Doing the right thing is easy when it is popular and everyone supports it, but doing the right thing is very different when fighting people who have a vested interest in letting evil prevail or when your life is threatened. Dan Moody, a one-time Texas governor, roseContinue Reading